Page 510 - The Veterinary Laboratory and Field Manual 3rd Edition

OIE’s core missions in relation to laboratories working in the veterinary domain 447

erate or accidental release of an infectious agent species and wildlife and is vital for the global
or toxin. These ‘unnatural’ biological threats dissemination of information on animal disease
carry special risks because pathogens may be events, including zoonotic pathogens.
engineered or released in such a way as to make Data reporting in WAHIS+ is reserved for
them more harmful. Although the probability of delegates of OIE members and the chief vet-
a deliberate or accidental release may be rela- erinary officers of non-members and their
tively low, the impact may be catastrophic from authorized representatives such as national focal
the national to the global level. points via a secure and restricted-access portal,
The response to disease is similar whether it who use WAHIS+ to notify the OIE of relevant
is directed against natural infection, or deliber- animal disease information. However, the infor-
ate or accidental release. Expert investigations mation reported by OIE members in WAHIS+ is
carried out by health authorities are needed to accessible and available to the general public. In
establish the cause of a disease outbreak and vet- addition, WAHIS+ consists of an early warning
erinary laboratories are often the first to discover system to inform the international community,
the source. The most effective and sustainable by means of alerts, of relevant epidemiologi-
way to protect against threats from deliberate cal events that occurred in OIE members and
and accidental releases of animal pathogens is non-members and territories, and a monitoring
to strengthen existing systems for surveillance, system in order to monitor presence or absence
early detection and rapid response, and biosafety of OIE Listed Diseases over time. 18
and biosecurity in the laboratory and field set- As a part of the monitoring system, six-
tings, while fostering scientific networks that monthly reports are submitted to inform the
work towards altruistic goals. This approach has presence or absence of OIE Listed Diseases. In
multiple collateral benefits for animal health, addition, annual reports are completed by mem-
agriculture, public health, poverty alleviation, bers to provide information on non-OIE-listed
animal welfare, and economies. 17 diseases, the impact of zoonoses on humans,
animal populations, veterinary services person-
nel, laboratories and diagnostic tests performed,
13.3 Sharing, in real time, reliable and vaccine manufacturers and vaccine produc-
information on the animal tion. This information is of particular interest
disease situation worldwide to laboratories that seek confirmatory services
from other laboratories, that network concern-
WaHIS ing diagnostic methods or diseases, or that
participate in inter-laboratory proficiency test-
In its leading role to improve animal health and ing and, ultimately, adds to the transparency of
welfare worldwide, one of the OIE’s key mis- the animal disease situation in OIE members.
sions is to ensure transparency of the global WAHIS+ is an evolving tool which responds
animal disease situation. The OIE’s WAHIS+ to global needs, changes to international stan-
is the global tool to achieve these objectives. dards and has increased pace for innovation
WAHIS+ is an open-access internet-based sys- and technological change. The OIE continues
tem that processes data on animal diseases in to look towards the future and evolve WAHIS+
real time and then informs the international to be easier for OIE members to collect, report
community. WAHIS+ enables the collection and and upload data from their own databases. The
the dissemination of data on animal diseases of WAHIS+ interface allows for data to be viewed,
epidemiological significance in both domestic analysed and extracted rapidly and in different

Vet Lab.indb 447 26/03/2019 10:26